Magnolia
3 September 2004, mid-afternoon
I watched Magnolia again with Shima, who had never seen the movie before. I’m a big fan of the film, and of its writer/director P. T. Anderson. The movie is a look at the lives of a large group of people, and how they are all in some ways linked with one and other. The acting in the film is superb. The film has a stellar cast, including Julian Moore (who I love), Tom Cruise, and William H. Macy. Anderson has a real eye for cinema. The film is a real pleasure to watch. The movie clocks in at somewhere close to 3 hours long. I personally don’t think it feels long at all, but that might just be me. There is some great dialogue, and some great shots, all of which make for a film you have to see.
I didn’t like it so much! :s but thats just me and I don’t know much about movies.
by sh!ma on September 3 2004, 5:45 pm #
aimee mann, too good.
and, i believe, the only piece of work to show that Cruise is a good actor (though i’ve heard last samurai deserves more credit than it got). but who are we kidding here? who can respect a 5 foot tall scientologist who divorces nicole kidman? fool.
by rooney on September 3 2004, 6:29 pm #
Though he seems to have made poor decisions in his personal life, Tom Cruise was in Mission: Impossible, the greatest film ever made.
by ramanan on September 3 2004, 7:19 pm #
you mean Position: Impossible
by simon on September 3 2004, 10:31 pm #
All of the P.T. Anderson movies are good. He’s an amazing filmmaker if for no reason other than being the first person to actually make Adam Sandler act. I am, of course, referring to Punch Drunk Love.
by Kenneth on September 3 2004, 10:54 pm #
I think Magnolia has the funniest opening ever. That sequence in which the kid is an accessory in his own murder/suicide is just brilliant.
BTW I don’t understand why Tom Cruise is so vilified. Magnolia, The Last Samurai, Top Gun, MI, and Minority Report. I am sure there are some more. He is pretty good. Yeah but dumping Nicole was bad form. I agree.
Adam Sandler in Punch Drunk Love was inspired. I had never seen anything like that. BTW Sandler has signed up with Tarantino for his next project.
by Sunny on September 4 2004, 12:20 am #
Magnolia has some really great scenes. My favourite is when the ambulance flips. (I think they showed it in the commercials for the movie as well.) I guess that isn’t much of a scene, but I think it’s cool to watch.
I also think Tom Cruise has been doing a pretty solid job with his movies. My brother said Collateral is amazing. I want to go see it sometime soon.
Punch Drunk Love is also great. I feel like watching the DVD again.
by ramanan on September 4 2004, 4:42 pm #
Yeah Collateral was stellar, surprisinly though Jamie Foxx stole the show. I think his portrayal is creating a lot of early buzz for his upcoming role in “Ray”. So yeah, go see the movie! Just to see the way they shot it is inspired, very original indeed.
by ahilan on September 5 2004, 3:41 am #